SKOPJE — Scotland defeated North Macedonia 2-0 in Skopje to secure a first victory under head coach Sebastien Pocognoli in the Nations League, on the night captain Andy Robertson earned his 100th cap. The result on a poor pitch in a soulless stadium flattered the hosts, who were outplayed for more than 80 minutes before Scott McKenna's late red card briefly allowed them to string passes together and register shots.
Kieron Bowie settled Scotland early with a terrific strike after work from Oli McBurnie and the influential Billy Gilmour, using sharp footwork to beat a defender and the goalkeeper for a rare moment of precision. John McGinn added the second from the penalty spot, lashing home to move level with Lawrie Reilly on 22 Scotland goals. The 2-0 scoreline understated Scotland's control: 25 shots to nine, 10 on target to zero, and 37 touches in the North Macedonia penalty area to just two before McKenna was sent off.
Robertson led from the front like a dervish, firing four shots in the opening 13 minutes — more than he had managed in 90 minutes in any of his previous 99 caps — while Gilmour set the tempo as both a six and an eight. Ben Gannon-Doak tormented the home defence with pace and involvement but lacked sharpness and accuracy, blasting over and shooting tamely after creating a string of chances. At one point a dog ran onto the pitch and would have offered more bite than the hosts, who looked lifeless for long spells. Gannon-Doak, 20, has seen limited minutes at Bournemouth — two minutes against Liverpool, 19 against Real Sociedad, eight against Brentford, one minute against Newcastle and Manchester City, with his only start coming in the League Cup against Lincoln.
The win lifts a burden from Pocognoli ahead of Slovenia at Hampden on Tuesday and gives him three points to build on after a strong second half against Slovenia previously. It was also a memorable night for Luis Binks and Stephen Welsh, who looked at home in defence, and substitute Robbie Ure, with all three experiencing a win for their country, while Bowie's breakthrough offered promise among Scotland's striking options despite wastefulness that could have made it four, five or six. The evening marked Andy Robertson's 100th cap with one of his most straightforward matches in a Scotland shirt.